That cup of hot tea with honey may contribute more to your health than just balancing water in your system.
Recent research findings have reported that drinking black tea may improve the body's defenses and quicken the response to bacteria and viruses - giving you more of a reason to brew a hot cup of tea to possibly ward off pesky germs.
The study, published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, found that participants who drank 20 ounces (the equivalent of about three cups) of black tea per day produced five times the amount of certain germ-fighting immune cells as those who drank the same amount of coffee. Researchers predict that these findings suggest that tea drinkers may have a better chance of fighting off an infection than non-tea drinkers because of this increased immune response, though further research will be needed to confirm their predictions.
Many Tea Studies
In addition to this research, volumes have been published about the potential health benefits of tea, which contains flavonoids, substances that may act as antioxidants to reduce oxidative damage in the body and help maintain healthy cells and tissues. A multitude of research studies point to drinking tea as a way to promote health and potentially reduce the risk of chronic diseases such as coronary heart disease and certain types of cancer.
"Research continually illustrates the potential for flavonoid-rich tea to contribute to healthful dietary patterns in a significant way," says Jeffrey Blumberg, PhD, Professor, Antioxidants Research Laboratory at Tufts University, Boston. |
